Proverbs 24; Revelation 5; Revelation 6; Proverbs 25

1Do not envy wicked men, do not desire their company;2for their hearts plot violence, and their lips talk about making trouble.3By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established;4through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.5A wise man has great power, and a man of knowledge increases strength;6for waging war you need guidance, and for victory many advisers.7Wisdom is too high for a fool; in the assembly at the gate he has nothing to say.8He who plots evil will be known as a schemer.9The schemes of folly are sin, and men detest a mocker.10If you falter in times of trouble, how small is your strength!11Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter.12If you say, "But we knew nothing about this," does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay each person according to what he has done?13Eat honey, my son, for it is good; honey from the comb is sweet to your taste.14Know also that wisdom is sweet to your soul; if you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.15Do not lie in wait like an outlaw against a righteous man's house, do not raid his dwelling place;16for though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again, but the wicked are brought down by calamity.17Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice,18or the LORD will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from him.19Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of the wicked,20for the evil man has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.21Fear the LORD and the king, my son, and do not join with the rebellious,22for those two will send sudden destruction upon them, and who knows what calamities they can bring?23These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judging is not good:24Whoever says to the guilty, "You are innocent"-- peoples will curse him and nations denounce him.25But it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come upon them.26An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.27Finish your outdoor work and get your fields ready; after that, build your house.28Do not testify against your neighbor without cause, or use your lips to deceive.29Do not say, "I'll do to him as he has done to me; I'll pay that man back for what he did."30I went past the field of the sluggard, past the vineyard of the man who lacks judgment;31thorns had come up everywhere, the ground was covered with weeds, and the stone wall was in ruins.32I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw:33A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest--34and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man.

1Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals.2And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, "Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?"3But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it.4I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside.5Then one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals."6Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.7He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne.8And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.9And they sang a new song: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.10You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth."11Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders.12In a loud voice they sang: "Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!"13Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!"14The four living creatures said, "Amen," and the elders fell down and worshiped.

1I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, "Come!"2I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.3When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, "Come!"4Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other. To him was given a large sword.5When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Come!" I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand.6Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, "A quart of wheat for a day's wages, and three quarts of barley for a day's wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!"7When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, "Come!"8I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.9When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained.10They called out in a loud voice, "How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?"11Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed.12I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red,13and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as late figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind.14The sky receded like a scroll, rolling up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.15Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains.16They called to the mountains and the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!17For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?"

1These are more proverbs of Solomon, copied by the men of Hezekiah king of Judah:2It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings.3As the heavens are high and the earth is deep, so the hearts of kings are unsearchable.4Remove the dross from the silver, and out comes material for the silversmith;5remove the wicked from the king's presence, and his throne will be established through righteousness.6Do not exalt yourself in the king's presence, and do not claim a place among great men;7it is better for him to say to you, "Come up here," than for him to humiliate you before a nobleman. What you have seen with your eyes8do not bring hastily to court, for what will you do in the end if your neighbor puts you to shame?9If you argue your case with a neighbor, do not betray another man's confidence,10or he who hears it may shame you and you will never lose your bad reputation.11A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.12Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold is a wise man's rebuke to a listening ear.13Like the coolness of snow at harvest time is a trustworthy messenger to those who send him; he refreshes the spirit of his masters.14Like clouds and wind without rain is a man who boasts of gifts he does not give.15Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone.16If you find honey, eat just enough-- too much of it, and you will vomit.17Seldom set foot in your neighbor's house-- too much of you, and he will hate you.18Like a club or a sword or a sharp arrow is the man who gives false testimony against his neighbor.19Like a bad tooth or a lame foot is reliance on the unfaithful in times of trouble.20Like one who takes away a garment on a cold day, or like vinegar poured on soda, is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.21If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.22In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you.23As a north wind brings rain, so a sly tongue brings angry looks.24Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.25Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land.26Like a muddied spring or a polluted well is a righteous man who gives way to the wicked.27It is not good to eat too much honey, nor is it honorable to seek one's own honor.28Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.